ASTM_D_5210_-_92_2007.pdf

Designation:D521092(Reapproved 2007)Standard Test Method forDetermining the Anaerobic Biodegradation of PlasticMaterials in the Presence of Municipal Sewage Sludge1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5210;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method determines the degree and rate ofanaerobic biodegradation of synthetic plastic materials(includ-ing formulation additives)on exposure to anaerobic-digestermunicipal sewage sludge from a waste-water plant,underlaboratory conditions.1.2 This test method is designed to index plastic materialsthat are more or less biodegradable relative to a positivestandard in an anaerobic environment.1.3 This test method is applicable to all plastic materials thatare not inhibitory to the microorganisms present in anaerobicsewage sludge.1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as thestandard.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety problems,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific hazards aregiven in Section 8.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D883 Terminology Relating to PlasticsD1193 Specification for Reagent WaterD3593 Test Method for Molecular Weight Averages/Distri-bution of Certain Polymers by Liquid Size-ExclusionChromatography(Gel Permeation Chromatography GPC)Using Universal Calibration(Withdrawn 1993)33.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 Definitions of terms applying to this test methodappear in Terminology D883.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 This test method consists of selecting plastic materialfor testing,obtaining sludge from an anaerobic-digester at awaste-treatment plant,exposing the plastic material to theinoculum obtained from the sewage sludge,measuring totalgas,carbon dioxide and methane(CO2and CH4),evolved as afunction of time;soluble organic carbon(SOC),and residualpolymer weight at the termination of the test,and assessingdegree of biodegradability.4.2 The percent of theoretical gas production based onmeasured or calculated carbon content is reported with respectto time from which the degree of biodegradability is assessed.5.Significance and Use5.1 The degree and rate of anaerobic biodegradability of aplastic material in this test method may be predictive of thetime period required to eliminate that plastic from the environ-ment depending on the similarities of the environments.Withincreasing use of plastics,disposal is a major issue.This testmethod may be useful to estimate the degree and persistence ofplastics in biologically active anaerobic disposal sites.This testmethod determines the rate and degree of anaerobic biodegra-dation by measuring the evolved volume of carbon dioxide andmethane,as a function of time of exposure to anaerobic-digester sludge.5.2 Anaerobic sewer-digester sludge from treatment ofclarifier sludge at a waste-water treatment plant that treatsprincipally municipal waste is an acceptable active anaerobicenvironment(available over a wide geographical area)inwhich to test a broad range of plastic materials.This testmethod may be considered an accelerated test with respect toa typical anaerobic environment,such as landfill sites thatplastics encounter in usual disposal methods because of thehighly active microbial population of anaerobic-digestersludge.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plasticsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on EnvironmentallyDegradable Plastics and Biobased Products.Current edition approved Oct.1,2007.Published October 2007.Originallyapproved in 1991.Last previous edition approved in 2000 as D5210 92(2000).DOI:10.1520/D5210-92R07.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced onwww.astm.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 6.Apparatus6.1 Gas generated will be collected in either an invertedgraduated cylinder submerged in water,water acidified to pH3 with sulfuric acid,a syringe with a freely moving plunger,or other suitable devices for measuring gas volume such as apressure transducer.6.2 Gas Chromatograph,or other apparatus,equipped witha suitable detector and column(s),shall be used to quantifymethane and carbon dioxide evolution using an analyticalprocedure specific for these gases.6.3 Incubator,sufficient to store the test bottles at